KSHB 41 News reporter Lauren Schwentker covers stories in the Northland, including in Clay and Platte counties. Have a story idea? Send her an email.
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The Excelsior Springs Police Department began using body cameras this April, marking a significant step toward greater transparency and accountability in the small Missouri city.
Patrol Commander Ryan Dowdy said the department started with 10 body cameras and that the technology is already making a difference in investigations.
"One of our officers got punched in the face the other day, and if you were just to hear that story, it would be my word versus that person's word," Dowdy said.
A screengrab from the body camera footage shows the officer being struck. The department said it could not release the full video because the incident is under investigation.
"Now I can play the video for you, and when I do, and you actually can see what an unprovoked punch looks like to an officer just standing there, there's no question you saw it with your own eyes," Dowdy said.
When asked why the department waited so long to adopt technology that thousands of police departments across the country already use, Dowdy pointed to the department's existing relationship with residents.
"Honestly, this is the truth: We have a really good relationship with our community, and it hasn't pushed us to get body cameras," Dowdy said.
Dowdy said the cameras offer more evidence and give the department a new tool for public accountability.
"It gives us the ability to show the public to be transparent and then have this extra layer of evidence with different angles," Dowdy said.
Excelsior Springs residents say the cameras are a welcome and long-overdue addition.
"I think it's long overdue and we definitely need them," Joy Fines, who lives in Excelsior Springs, said.
Fines said the cameras will also help protect officers from false accusations.
"They'll have backup cameras showing what they did, people can't accuse them of being roughhoused or misabused," Fines said.
Joe Campbell, who lives near Excelsior Springs, said the footage removes any doubt about what happened during an encounter.
"If you got a camera on you can't deny what happened," Campbell said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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